On Wednesday, the Town of Granby announced they had narrowed the field of applicants to five finalists, in their search for a new town manager. After just two years, former Town Manager, Aaron Blair, left his position on October 2nd and headed west to take the helm as City Manager of Sand City, CA.

The five candidates have varied experience in the public sector and will certainly make the Town’s final decision difficult. They are, in alphabetical order:

Brian P. Bender

Chief Administrator Officer and Floodplain Manager for the City of Deer Lodge, MT. Bender has over eighteen years of planning experience in both rural and urban settings and has extensive experiences of working with elected and appointed officials to oversee public finances, manage facilities, grants, devise & implement plans, and promote citizen participation. Brian has a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Plattsburgh State University, with a minor in Mapping Sciences. Brian also holds a Master of Science in Geography with a concentration in coastal geomorphology from Western Washington University and a Master of Regional Planning from the University at Albany, with a specialization in rural and small-town planning. He is an avid gardener and is a founding member of the Deer Lodge Community Garden. 

Ted Cherry

City Administrator for North Sioux City, SD (pop. 1,750), has been in the role since February 2016. Before moving to North Sioux City. Before that, he held the same position in Leoti, KS. Ted graduated from the University of South Dakota in 2007 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Business Marketing and in 2014 with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. He enjoys the outdoors, reading, and playing with Ruby, his Black Labrador. 

Jennie Fancher

Jennie Fancher has lived in Eagle County, CO since 1992. Born and raised in Massachusetts, she graduated from Northeastern University with a major in English and a minor in Political Science. Additionally, Jennie earned a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Colorado, Denver. Her government experience includes an internship in the Irish Parliament, working for metro districts in Eagle County, and two terms as an elected official in Avon, including four years as mayor. Jennie is passionate about local government, making a difference, and contributing to community, as well as the Colorado lifestyle and all that it offers.

Eric Hansen

Erik Hansen is passionate about public service and has served in local government for the last 18 years, most recently as the General Manager of the Todd Creek water district in Brighton, CO. Prior to that he was elected to two terms as an Adams County Commissioner and served as a Mayor and Councilmember in Thornton. Prior to his career in public service, Erik worked as a marketing executive for startup companies and owned his own consulting business. He has an M.B.A. from the University of Denver and a B.A. in political science from Truman State University. He is the proud father of two teenage athletes and loves watching them play. In his spare time, Erik skis, reads, an has served as a coach and umpire for youth baseball games for many years.  

Brian Wells

A Colorado resident for 21 years, most recently in Estes Park for almost 8 years. Worked for the Town of Estes Park as the Transit Program Manager and the General Manager for RATP Dev USA which contracts ground transportation for the Town of Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. He has an additional 24 years in non-profit and private sector management. Brian holds a Masters of Public Administration, a Bachelor’s of Business Administration and a post-Baccalaureate in Homeland Security. Brian loves working in the public sector, swimming, reading and the Colorado outdoors.

 The Town will hold a public ‘Meet and Greet’ with the candidates on Tuesday, December 3rd at Town Hall, from 4 – 7 pm. The community is invited to come meet the candidates and learn more about them.

Following the Meet & Greet, the candidates will be interviewed by two separate panels on Wednesday, December 4th. It is hoped the Board of Trustees will provide staff with direction for contract negotiation at their December 10th regular meeting. Ideally, the new Town Manager will start as soon as January 2020.